Table 2.
Sample characteristics, and results of bivariate analyses and multivariable regression model examining association between background and pandemic-associated variables, and COVID-19-associated posttraumatic growth in U.S. military veterans.
| Sample characteristics |
Bivariate correlation with moderate or greater PTG |
Multivariable Regression model |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted Mean (SD) or N (weighted %) | r | Odds ratio (95%CI) | |
| Background characteristics (R2= 0.16) | |||
| Age | 63.3 (14.7) | 0.01 | – |
| Male gender | 2730 (91.6%) | −0.10*** | 0.52 (0.37–0.71)*** |
| White, non-Hispanic race/ethnicity | 2541 (79.3%) | −0.13*** | 0.69 (0.55–0.87)** |
| College graduate or higher education | 1407 (34.2%) | 0.02 | – |
| Married/partnered | 2220 (74.0%) | −0.01 | – |
| Retired | 1733 (46.8%) | −0.01 | – |
| Household income $60 K+ | 1851 (60.8%) | −0.01 | – |
| Combat veteran | 1051 (35.4%) | −0.03 | – |
| Adverse childhood experiences | 1.4 (1.9) | 0.03 | – |
| Sum lifetime traumas | 8.9 (8.3) | −0.02 | – |
| Psychological distress at Wave 1 | 0 (1.0) | 0.09*** | 0.91 (0.78–1.06) |
| Extraversion | 3.8 (1.5) | 0.08*** | 1.05 (0.98–1.12) |
| Agreeableness | 5.1 (1.2) | 0.09*** | 1.14 (1.04–1.24)** |
| Conscientiousness | 5.8 (1.1) | −0.04* | 0.97 (0.89–1.06) |
| Emotional stability | 5.3 (1.3) | −0.06** | 0.92 (0.85–1.00) |
| Openness to experiences | 4.8 (1.2) | 0.06** | 0.99 (0.91–1.08) |
| Physical health difficulties | 0 (1.0) | 0.09*** | 0.96 (0.86–1.06) |
| Protective psychosocial characteristics | 0 (1.0) | 0.06** | 1.16 (1.01–1.34)* |
| Social connectedness | 0 (1.0) | −0.01 | – |
| Religiosity/spirituality | 0 (1.0) | 0.13*** | 1.20 (1.08–1.32)*** |
| History of mental health treatment | 683 (22.5%) | 0.05** | 0.87 (0.68–1.11) |
| Posttraumatic growth to earlier trauma | 13.9 (12.3) | 0.30*** | 1.04 (1.03–1.05)*** |
| Pandemic-associated factors (R2= 0.32; ΔR2= 0.16) | |||
| COVID infection to self | 233 (8.2%) | −0.03 | – |
| COVID infection to household member | 198 (7.5%) | −0.01 | – |
| COVID infection to non-household member | 1285 (41.4%) | 0.04* | 0.85 (0.70–1.02) |
| Know someone who died of COVID-19 | 177 (5.6%) | 0.06** | 0.94 (0.63–1.39) |
| Daily COVID-19 media consumption | 1.6 (2.1) | 0.13*** | 0.98 (0.94–1.03) |
| COVID-19-associated worries | 0 (1.0) | 0.32*** | 1.96 (1.76–2.18)*** |
| COVID-19-associated social restriction stress | 0 (1.0) | 0.24*** | 1.54 (1.39–1.71)*** |
| COVID-19-associated financial difficulties | 0 (1.0) | 0.12*** | 1.26 (1.14–1.39)*** |
| COVID-19-associated PTSD symptoms | 1.8 (2.6) | 0.29*** | 1.12 (1.07–1.17)*** |
| Changes Since Pre-Pandemic (R2= 0.32; ΔR2= 0.0) | |||
| Traumas since Wave 1 | 1.0 (1.8) | 0.07*** | 1.01 (0.96–1.07) |
| Change in household income | 0 (2.1) | −0.03 | – |
| Change in psychological distress | 0 (0.7) | 0.01 | – |
| Change in protective psychosocial characteristics | 0 (0.7) | −0.02 | – |
| Note: *=p<0.05, **=p<0.01, ***=p<0.001. | |||